United States
The 25 Best Suburbs That Won't Break The Bank
With suburban living getting more and more expensive, Business Week compiles a list of places where buying a single family house in a good neighborhood isn't a dream.
Study Casts Doubt On 'Healthy Forests' Initiative
New studies by the Forest Service suggest that thinning forests as done under President Bush’s Healthy Forests Initiative may worsen forest damage, not reduce it.
Getting Humans Back Into Nature: A Dissertation
A practicing planner and academic proposes as his Ph.D. dissertation an ecosystem approach to planning, and asks how we begin to place our cities back into their ecological context.
The Prevailing Wage Question
Should the people who build low-income housing get a prevailing wage? Community developers say they can't afford to pay it, but can they really fight poverty if they don't?
Voters Approve $5.7 Billion in Conservation Funds
Voters across the political spectrum approved 77% of the 128 tax and bond initiatives on ballots in 23 states last Tuesday.
Homeowners Invest In 'Granny' Additions
As more and more Boomers begin to retire, builders are noticing increasing demand for home renovations and additions that will allow seniors to "age in place".
Urban Improvement Through Child's Play
This article from Metropolis Magazine looks at a new trend that is revisioning the playground by expanding its scope and encouraging kids to get out of the backyard.
Is Now The Best Time To Buy A House?
After years of prices spiraling out of control, the National Association of Realtors is suggesting that the housing market is ripe for home buyers looking to get a good deal.
Softening Market Hits Production Home Builders
Responding to increasing cancellations and growing inventory, national home builders are being forced to slow production and lay off workers.
Voters Clamp Down On Eminent Domain
Eight states approved new measures to restrict the use of eminent domain on November 7th -- widely seen as a reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Kelo vs. New London.
Building Homes For Generation X
While the current housing market in decline, analysts are starting to think about meeting the different housing demands and preferences of younger households.
Don't Ignore The 'Procreative' Class
Challenging some of the ideas in Richard Florida's "The Rise of The Creative Class," a recent article suggests that ignoring the "Procreative Class" -- middle- and working-class families -- can hurt cities too.
Raising Money For Skateboard Parks
Superstar Tony Hawk's annual fundraiser is trying to change the attitudes of many cities towards the sport by helping them build skate parks.
Is The Kelo Backlash Growing?
A property-rights backlash appears to be building across the country as a direct result of the Supreme Court's Kelo v. City of New London decision, writes the WSJ on their editorial page.
Record Funding For Transportation On Election Day Ballots
33 transportation-related ballot measures worth more than $55 billion face voters this election.
News Summary and Analysis - October 2006
As part of monthly series, we present a summary and analysis of some of the most interesting news to appear on Planetizen over the month of October 2006. This is the transcript of an audio segment that originally aired on the nationally syndicated radio program "Smart City".
When Green Building And Historic Preservation Collide
Architects, builders and preservationists met in Pittsburgh to discuss ways to get federal guidelines for historic structures to play nice with green building principles.
Renewing The Great Lakes Region
A new report from the Brookings Institution looks at policy innovations that can help revive the fortunes of the nation's former industrial powerhouse.
Urban Marathons Adding To Economic Growth
Across the country, an increasing number of marathon runners are adding to the economic growth of small, mid-size, and large cities.
Through The FEMA Looking Glass
Doug Giuliano recounts his adventures in the FEMA wonderland after heading to the Gulf Coast to help with hurricane recovery. What started as noble intentions ended mired in the muck of bureaucracy.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
